Models for the developing world

Explanation:

This model attempts to explain the complex growth patterns of cities in the developing world.

The CBD is similar to that in the developed world and is an area of high-rise offices and shops. However, the similarities stop here. The CBD is surrounded by high-class apartments and older middle class housing, which has been built during colonial times.

You should not forget that there is great wealth in the cities of the developing world and that one of the features of the developing world cities is the great contrast in living standards.

In a ring around the high class housing you find well established 'shanty towns'. These will be the oldest shanty towns in the city and are located here so that residents could find work in the CBD or in the homes of the higher-class residents.

These are not like the shanty towns in the outer circle as they have been steadily improved by the residents. Many will have electricity, water supplies, even schools and clinics. The buildings will have been improved so that corrugated iron is replaced with brick and concrete. This could have been via a redevelopment scheme as outlined in the problems and solutions scheme. Many will now be officially recognised settlements.

This zone is referred to as 'periferia' or periphery.

Surrounding this (and infilling any gaps) will be the shanty towns that would be resident to the most recent migrants and would typically have the poorest standards of living as outlined in the urban problems section.

In addition, there are sectors of industrial use (as factories locate along main roads especially those that lead directly to a port) and residential as the high classes choose to leave the polluted and over-crowded inner city.

Evaluation:

For:

Against:

The model effectively simplifies and explains the complex processes responsible for the urban morphology of the developing world city.

No reference to physical landscape.

It highlights the great differences in living standards that exist in these cities.

The change between land-uses would not be clearly defined especially as shanty-towns tend to infill any available space.

It highlights the importance of the export market to the developing world city.

Most cities in the developing world are located in coastal locations so industrial growth would be located around the ports not on the roads to the port.